Phalestias

Phalestias is one of the smaller regions of Aeseron. It used to be comprised of smaller tribes, who would war amongst themselves. Back then the region was named Odrysia. At one point the leader of the Phalestias tribe, a woman named Rezas, made a deal with Southern cities for bronze. She united the tribes under her banner, and founded the city of Phalestias. The Phalestians are still considered a warlike people, but an honourable one.
Phalestias is a land of warriors, renowned for their strength and valor. They are a strong people, said to be descended from Polemos himself. With Black cloaks, big two-handed curved swords, and wolf-crested helms, long have their walls of bronze shields and spears held hordes of enemies at bay.

Class System

For most of Phalestias' neighbors, the term "Phalestian" evokes legendary warriors, trained from birth in every martial discipline known to humankind. It brings to mind songs of tight-knit martial bands, holding strong in the face of unbeatable odds. It sings of a great yearly competition that crowns the preeminent warrior-athlete in Phalestias, and—by extension—the world. The majority of the polis' inhabitants, though, aren't members of its martial elite. The famed warriors of Phalestias have the means to devote their lives to studying and training in the ways of war because they rest atop a rigid social structure of serfs and servants that largely dwell beyond the Kolophon's walls. The Kolophon being the ancient fortress/palace that sits atop the city. Those who stand at the heights of Phalestian society, or outside it, are detailed here.
The Monarchy
Above all the citizens of Phalestias stands the Monarchy, led by the High Chieftess. Traditionally, Phalestias is ruled by a monarch drawn from the lineage of lektoi. The monarchy passes from mother to eldest daughter, but any female sibling or first cousin of the heir can challenge this succession and claim the throne by besting the heir in single combat.
The Lektoi
At the apex of Phalestian society are the lektoi, the large warrior class of the polis. Members of this class claim descent from the seven chiefs who first established the Kolophon after being united by High Chieftess Rezas Phalestias. Though the families now number more than seven, each one uses an animal associated with one of the seven warriors as its symbol, either the ram, lion, horse, boar, badger, gryphon, or hart. The ram, associated with Phalestias' first high chieftess, Rezas, is commonly used as a symbol for the lektoi as a whole and for Phalestian strength, determination, and resilience. It is a popular theme in clothing, jewelry, and weapon ornamentation, and some lektoi even wear their hair braided into stylized ram horns. Although the lektoi claim descent from heroes, membership in this noble class isn't strictly hereditary. Anyone can earn a place among them by claiming a victory in the annual Iroan Games. More commonly, members of lektoi families lose their place of privilege if they fail to fulfill their obligation to serve in the Phalestian military.
Stratians
The Phalestian military is mostly formed of wandering bands of warriors (drawn from the lektoi families) known as stratians (during wartime, serfs are conscripted into militia forces). Outside the walls of the Kolophon, the stratians camp in the forests and fields, hunt game for food, and train younger warriors as they go. Their tasks are to search for monsters that have strayed into Phalestian territory and to protect travelers. Stratian forces are divided into three types of duty and armed appropriately for the task before them:

• Alamon. Rugged forces of wanderers patrol Phalestias' borders, defending against invasion or attack by monsters that dwell in the mountains, foothills, and badlands around Phalestian territory. They are armed and armored for speed and agility, allowing them to move stealthily and strike unexpectedly. Their gear is often decorated with hawks and falcons

• Lukos. The most elite forces among the stratians, the so-called drakes contend with threats that the Alamon can't handle alone. After the guerrilla tactics of the Alamon have softened up a target, the heavily armored Lukos march to finish the task. Their armor and weapons are often decorated with dragons and drakes.

• Oromai. The watchers are the guardians of the Kolophon who protect the fortress from invaders and maintain order within its walls. Their armor and armaments are often decorated with eyes.

Servants and Helots
Lektoi who complete their military service with honor often retire to the Kolophon or their family estates and go about the leisured life of aristocrats. Their households are run by a class of servants made up of lektoi who were unable or unwilling to undertake a military career. These servants lack citizenship's full privileges but retain a position of some honor thanks to their class.
Below these servants, at the bottom of Phalestias' social hierarchy, are the serfs known as Helots. Comprising the vast majority of the polis' population, the serfs largely reside outside the protection of the Kolophon, laboring to grow the staple crops that support Akros's citizens and its trade. A relatively small number of serfs are skilled artisans who manage to build a more prosperous life for themselves with their crafts. But even these wealthier serfs can't own the land they live on, and they enjoy few rights or legal protections.

The Iroan Games

At the heart of the walled city is the huge stadium that hosts Aeseron's greatest sporting event, the Iroan Games. A grand temple of Polemos (and to a lesser extent, the Apogonian goddess Leto) stands beside it, serving as the venue for award ceremonies. A wide plaza connects the stadium to the city's outer gates, offering plenty of room for celebration around the annual games.
Winners of the games get to ask a boon of the high chieftess. They may ask to be raised to nobility and become Lektoi, they may ask for riches. If it is within her power, the high chieftess will grant it.
When the stadium isn't hosting the actual Iroan Games, it is still used daily for training and for lesser athletic events. Many of the buildings surrounding the stadium are dedicated to serving it: smaller training facilities, providers of athletic gear, stables, and other shops.

Geography

Phalestias is more mountainous than its southern neighbours, and is sprinkled with beech and pine forests. Arable land is scattered across small plateaus and valleys in Phalestias, meaning that the serf communities that farm the land are small and just as scattered. Volcanic rifts, landslides, and venomous animals make travel dangerous for anyone who doesn't know the terrain, and visitors wishing to avoid suspicion from patrolling stratians would be wise to stick to the roads.

Industry

Besides its rich silver mines, bountiful forests, and fishable coasts, Phalestias has one major export: Peltasts . Peltasts are a specialised sort of mercenaries, whose training is funded by the state. They are then loaned out to other city-states to fight in their wars. Most of the winnings are funneled back into Phalestias, but the Peltasts are very well compensated. Which makes sense, seeing as their training is extremely long and rigorous.

Sister to Aros

Phalestias has always had a sibling-like relationship to its neighbour Aros. Meaning that while they are mostly friendly to one another, they also consider each other rivals, and this has often led to conflict. A lot of the culture and architecture in Phalestias is very reminiscent of that of Aros. Conversely, many of Aros' military traditions are copied from Phalestias.

Current state

The current leader of Phalestias is High Chieftess Surasa Rezas. The monarchy is matriarchal, from mother to eldest daughter. If there is no daughter, the Council of Chiefs votes for the next queen. This is only in theory, since it has not occurred yet.

Type

Geopolitical, City-state