Well, I butchered a historical Libyan coat of arms, but I got a flag.
Here's a rough sheet. It is incomplete. It has a map with the four provinces I'd like to claim included.
I wasn't sure what sort of climate you wanted for each area. I keep looking at the map and thinking the region I placed my stuff reminds me of the Strait of Gibraltar between Iberia and North Africa, so that's what I rolled with. I can change this if you'd like.
I'm not sure exactly what we need in our unit layouts, so I'll wait to hear more on that.
United Dominion of Turiszan
The unit's symbol goes on the the left side of the banner; the symbol of the army goes on the right.
Population: 1,600,000
Location:
Capital City: Turin (Gold star on claims map)
Resources: Dates, fish, fowl, horses, sheep, stone, timber
Luxuries: Birds of prey (falconry), gems, gold, jewelry, sea salt, wax, wine (date)
Government Type: Despotic Plutocracy
Economy Type: Free Trade
Leaders and Generals:
Highlord Bhenya Bulman is the leader of the Dominion and a former general himself. A wealthy merchant's son, his rank in the military was bought, but he quickly proved that warfare was his natural calling. Though Bhenya is young for a Highlord (twenty-eight years old) and has not sat on the throne much longer than a year, some folk have begun to compare him to Ghalwa, the first Highlord. He is meticulous, aggressive, and has experience both in warfare and in the most dangerous of arenas: politics.
Lord Ubani is a schemer of greater influence in the court. The respect he commands in Turiszan is second only to the Highlord himself. He is not directly at odds with the Highlord, but is not working explicitly for his benefit, either. Their interests align for now, however, so he is a boon to Bhenya's rule... for now.
General Imar is a warrior born. He is one of the plains warriors, a nomad turned mercenary captain turned loyal hand of Highlord Bhenya after having his life saved by the young ruler. While he has no head for infantry warfare, he is a good commander of cavalry and works well as the sub-commander in combined war efforts.
Admiral Carissa comes from the subjugated people of the colony across the sea. Women are expected to fight for their homeland as much as men in their culture, and as Turiszan does its best to assimilate conquered peoples, she has been allowed to serve as a leader of men. She is very old - sixty years old to be exact - and has commanded warships for as long as anyone can remember. She has a good nose for profit, too, and is not above attacking other nations' merchant fleets or raiding shore villages for a fistful of gold.
Culture Description:
The Dominion of Turiszan is home to a small variety of cultures. The southern lands are the homeland of the Turiszani people, and the eastern province is home to colonists and subjugated peoples. The plains are home to horse-riding nomads, the coastal cities to fishermen and traders, and the hills to tough-skinned miners.
Likewise, the culture and architecture of Turiszan is an amalgamation of the various cultures that are part of their nation. Turiszani people (referred to as "Turiszos") are not proud so much as determined. They are willing to do a great many things to achieve their goals, especially if it means improving their station in life. Whether the means of achieving those goals are honest or dishonest depends on the Turiszo in question, though Turiszani merchants are rumored to be the most cutthroat in the world.
In Turiszani society, wealth is the measure by which a man is judged. Wealth is associated with power, with strength of character, and with godliness. This pervasive concept enforces status quo: the poor are damned for being poor and the children of rich men are believed to be virtuous souls, for surely the children born to a rich family are blessed beings? It ought be no surprise that trade and the pursuit of wealth occupies the mind of both the common man and his master.
Part of being wealthy is showing off your wealth, and the most socially acceptable means of doing so is through charity. Powerful men are known to parade through the streets in opulent displays, showering the ordinary citizens with gold, silver, caps, and other fine things. They are also known to construct large manors and decorate them extravagantly. Beauty is a necessity to the construction of such a manor, and it frequently comes before function.
Though there are stories of warrior heroes in Turiszo legend, the greatest stories are of men who won battles with their wits rather than their strength of arms. There are also a great many stories of merchant heroes and diplomats who caused great mischief or brought ruination to their enemies by coercion or trickery. It is for this reason that cunning and learning are valued in Turiszan.
Though the people of the Dominion worship a pantheon of gods, the chief among them is Nadasir the Eagle King. He is the god of eagles, migrant birds, safe journeys, and the four winds. He exists in other cultures as a minor deity, but as merchant adventures are an important part of Turiszani culture, Turiszan has made him its chief god.
It is said that you should never trust a Turiszo who smiles. The meaning behind this is two-fold: while it obviously suggests that Turiszos are treacherous, it also has roots in the grim expressions of the typical Turiszani commoner. There is a terrible gap in quality of life between the rich and the poor. The wealthy men, of course, are not at all grim. Their smiles are readier than those of their unfortunate brethren.
Military Trait: Signal Corps - No Turiszani army can be called "disorganized" on the battlefield. Through shrewd use of fire, warhorns, banners, and drums, Turiszani units can communicate with each other effectively and relay orders with ease. The Dominion's generals couldn't be happier this is so.
Civil Trait: Cutthroat Merchants - Turiszan's merchants are undisputed masters of trade. They can gain control of a trade route with relative ease, and they're not afraid of employing unsavory tactics to do so. They make good profits.
Flaw Trait: Mercenary Armies - The loyalty of Turiszan's soldiers is to their coinpurse, not their Highlord. Though they may owe him allegiance in theory, many officers can be swayed with land and wealth.
History:
When Turi was still a city-state and not the capital of a small empire, it was once home to a long line of kings. They were famous for their wisdom, their generosity, and for protecting the city from nomadic tribes for generations. Of course, the story then says that a mad king took the throne, and that his madness consumed the city. Whether or not he truly was mad, he was deposed by a powerful political figure named Ghalwa Abin. As he was not of royal blood, he could not claim to be king, so he instead called himself Highlord and established a Council of Lords. These Lords were all powerful and wealthy men of the city, and each of them owed many favors to Highlord Ghalwa. Through them, Ghalwa made took total control of the city.
Though the new Turi was called a republic, it was in truth a plutocracy headed by a power-hungry despot. Ghalwa was intent on grabbing more territory for himself, and so he set about conquering the nearby tribes and townships. When a city would not cooperate with his occupation, he'd have subjugated tribes sack it. When neighbors attacked, he would bribe their neighbors to split their attention and make his war easier. His expansionist policies paid off, and by the end of his reign the Turiszani Dominion made up most of its present day territory on the southern shore.
Ghalwa died in his bed of a horrible sickness. His demise left a tremendous power gap in the city. After a series of riots and a near collapse of the government, the Council of Lords established a means of electing a new Highlord. Only men who owned land (a relatively small number) could participate in this election, and even then only through election of a Lord to represent them. This kept power safely out of the citizens' hands and allowed the Council of Lords to choose a leader that would serve their interests best. Once elected, though, the Highlord's power was almost absolute.
Over the next century, Turiszan slowly expanded to cover its present territory. It sent soldiers and settlers to conquer some lucrative land on the shores to the north-east, at the same time gaining a choke hold on trade through the strait their lands surrounded. This gave them access to a greater wealth of gold and gemstones, allowing them to expand their enterprises. This, in turn, allowed them to recruit a larger army, though this new army was not so loyal as those of the past. Still, these advantages afford Turiszan a real chance at becoming a major player on the global scene.
Here's a rough sheet. It is incomplete. It has a map with the four provinces I'd like to claim included.
I wasn't sure what sort of climate you wanted for each area. I keep looking at the map and thinking the region I placed my stuff reminds me of the Strait of Gibraltar between Iberia and North Africa, so that's what I rolled with. I can change this if you'd like.
I'm not sure exactly what we need in our unit layouts, so I'll wait to hear more on that.
The Dominion of Turiszan
United Dominion of Turiszan
The unit's symbol goes on the the left side of the banner; the symbol of the army goes on the right.
Population: 1,600,000
Location:
Capital City: Turin (Gold star on claims map)
Resources: Dates, fish, fowl, horses, sheep, stone, timber
Luxuries: Birds of prey (falconry), gems, gold, jewelry, sea salt, wax, wine (date)
Government Type: Despotic Plutocracy
Economy Type: Free Trade
Leaders and Generals:
Highlord Bhenya Bulman is the leader of the Dominion and a former general himself. A wealthy merchant's son, his rank in the military was bought, but he quickly proved that warfare was his natural calling. Though Bhenya is young for a Highlord (twenty-eight years old) and has not sat on the throne much longer than a year, some folk have begun to compare him to Ghalwa, the first Highlord. He is meticulous, aggressive, and has experience both in warfare and in the most dangerous of arenas: politics.
Lord Ubani is a schemer of greater influence in the court. The respect he commands in Turiszan is second only to the Highlord himself. He is not directly at odds with the Highlord, but is not working explicitly for his benefit, either. Their interests align for now, however, so he is a boon to Bhenya's rule... for now.
General Imar is a warrior born. He is one of the plains warriors, a nomad turned mercenary captain turned loyal hand of Highlord Bhenya after having his life saved by the young ruler. While he has no head for infantry warfare, he is a good commander of cavalry and works well as the sub-commander in combined war efforts.
Admiral Carissa comes from the subjugated people of the colony across the sea. Women are expected to fight for their homeland as much as men in their culture, and as Turiszan does its best to assimilate conquered peoples, she has been allowed to serve as a leader of men. She is very old - sixty years old to be exact - and has commanded warships for as long as anyone can remember. She has a good nose for profit, too, and is not above attacking other nations' merchant fleets or raiding shore villages for a fistful of gold.
Culture Description:
The Dominion of Turiszan is home to a small variety of cultures. The southern lands are the homeland of the Turiszani people, and the eastern province is home to colonists and subjugated peoples. The plains are home to horse-riding nomads, the coastal cities to fishermen and traders, and the hills to tough-skinned miners.
Likewise, the culture and architecture of Turiszan is an amalgamation of the various cultures that are part of their nation. Turiszani people (referred to as "Turiszos") are not proud so much as determined. They are willing to do a great many things to achieve their goals, especially if it means improving their station in life. Whether the means of achieving those goals are honest or dishonest depends on the Turiszo in question, though Turiszani merchants are rumored to be the most cutthroat in the world.
In Turiszani society, wealth is the measure by which a man is judged. Wealth is associated with power, with strength of character, and with godliness. This pervasive concept enforces status quo: the poor are damned for being poor and the children of rich men are believed to be virtuous souls, for surely the children born to a rich family are blessed beings? It ought be no surprise that trade and the pursuit of wealth occupies the mind of both the common man and his master.
Part of being wealthy is showing off your wealth, and the most socially acceptable means of doing so is through charity. Powerful men are known to parade through the streets in opulent displays, showering the ordinary citizens with gold, silver, caps, and other fine things. They are also known to construct large manors and decorate them extravagantly. Beauty is a necessity to the construction of such a manor, and it frequently comes before function.
Though there are stories of warrior heroes in Turiszo legend, the greatest stories are of men who won battles with their wits rather than their strength of arms. There are also a great many stories of merchant heroes and diplomats who caused great mischief or brought ruination to their enemies by coercion or trickery. It is for this reason that cunning and learning are valued in Turiszan.
Though the people of the Dominion worship a pantheon of gods, the chief among them is Nadasir the Eagle King. He is the god of eagles, migrant birds, safe journeys, and the four winds. He exists in other cultures as a minor deity, but as merchant adventures are an important part of Turiszani culture, Turiszan has made him its chief god.
It is said that you should never trust a Turiszo who smiles. The meaning behind this is two-fold: while it obviously suggests that Turiszos are treacherous, it also has roots in the grim expressions of the typical Turiszani commoner. There is a terrible gap in quality of life between the rich and the poor. The wealthy men, of course, are not at all grim. Their smiles are readier than those of their unfortunate brethren.
Military Trait: Signal Corps - No Turiszani army can be called "disorganized" on the battlefield. Through shrewd use of fire, warhorns, banners, and drums, Turiszani units can communicate with each other effectively and relay orders with ease. The Dominion's generals couldn't be happier this is so.
Civil Trait: Cutthroat Merchants - Turiszan's merchants are undisputed masters of trade. They can gain control of a trade route with relative ease, and they're not afraid of employing unsavory tactics to do so. They make good profits.
Flaw Trait: Mercenary Armies - The loyalty of Turiszan's soldiers is to their coinpurse, not their Highlord. Though they may owe him allegiance in theory, many officers can be swayed with land and wealth.
History:
When Turi was still a city-state and not the capital of a small empire, it was once home to a long line of kings. They were famous for their wisdom, their generosity, and for protecting the city from nomadic tribes for generations. Of course, the story then says that a mad king took the throne, and that his madness consumed the city. Whether or not he truly was mad, he was deposed by a powerful political figure named Ghalwa Abin. As he was not of royal blood, he could not claim to be king, so he instead called himself Highlord and established a Council of Lords. These Lords were all powerful and wealthy men of the city, and each of them owed many favors to Highlord Ghalwa. Through them, Ghalwa made took total control of the city.
Though the new Turi was called a republic, it was in truth a plutocracy headed by a power-hungry despot. Ghalwa was intent on grabbing more territory for himself, and so he set about conquering the nearby tribes and townships. When a city would not cooperate with his occupation, he'd have subjugated tribes sack it. When neighbors attacked, he would bribe their neighbors to split their attention and make his war easier. His expansionist policies paid off, and by the end of his reign the Turiszani Dominion made up most of its present day territory on the southern shore.
Ghalwa died in his bed of a horrible sickness. His demise left a tremendous power gap in the city. After a series of riots and a near collapse of the government, the Council of Lords established a means of electing a new Highlord. Only men who owned land (a relatively small number) could participate in this election, and even then only through election of a Lord to represent them. This kept power safely out of the citizens' hands and allowed the Council of Lords to choose a leader that would serve their interests best. Once elected, though, the Highlord's power was almost absolute.
Over the next century, Turiszan slowly expanded to cover its present territory. It sent soldiers and settlers to conquer some lucrative land on the shores to the north-east, at the same time gaining a choke hold on trade through the strait their lands surrounded. This gave them access to a greater wealth of gold and gemstones, allowing them to expand their enterprises. This, in turn, allowed them to recruit a larger army, though this new army was not so loyal as those of the past. Still, these advantages afford Turiszan a real chance at becoming a major player on the global scene.
