Menigistu
The Priest Kings of Ferrouk look out over the ocean waters. Secure in the city of Terarawi, they worship the Steel Titan through their deeds.
Structure
The Priest King is the ruler of Menigistu. They are assisted by their appointed cabinet of advisors, the Foriji.
Beneath the Priest King are three councils, collectively called the Kiflochi (chambers): The Medosha, the Anivilli, and the Seyifi. Each council may have no more than three seats on the Foriji.
The Medosha are drawn from the guild leaders of the people of Terarawi. Guilds must be recognized by the Medosha council before they can join it. The Medosha governs the business and standards of all Menigisiti crafts and trade.
The Anivilli consist of the professional clergy of the kingdom. While many crafters are sanctified to Ferrouk, the Anivilli are full-time priests. They are heavily responsible for international relations, religious decrees and custom, and lore. In addition, they are responsible for selecting and anointing the Priest King.
Military and security matters are governed by the Foriji, those who wield the weapons made by the Medosha and Anivilli. They are the armed forces of the kingdom, full-time professional warriors. The Foriji raise armies, build defenses, enforce laws and patrol both the city and its exterior.
Culture
Ferrouk's teachings lie at the core of Menigistu culture. They are a people caught between two extremes: the steel discipline of hard work and high standards, combined with freedom of expression and a hatred of shackles and manacles.
All Menigisiti learn a craft of some kind, something they do with their hands. Even if you are a writer, a singer, a philosopher or a dancer, you still learn how to work metal, stone, wood, clay--some physical medium. You don't have to master that art, but however much of it you learn, you do excellently.
Everyone is expected to work hard and work well, but what they work on and how they do it is their business. Menigisiti show off their creations with pride, but take joy in the works of others. Bragging isn't an adversarial one-upmanship, it's a group activity where everyone echoes the great works of the other.
As such, the Menigisiti have a lot of cultural baggage around the concept of laziness or sloppiness. Art is life. Art makes life worth living, and art makes the blades and spells that protect us.
- Diligence
- Patience
- Temperance
- Creativity
- Excellence
Assets
Menigisiti weapons, armor, and tools are second to none. Thanks to the rich mineral wealth of Terarawi, they have high quality steel, precious metals, and stone. Fresh water is available through deep wells, and the nearby ocean means they have access to shipping lanes, fish, and other goods.
Demography and Population
With a subterranean capital city and rocky, open desert territory, Menigistu hosts several distinct demographic subcultures.
Territories
The coastal mountains and hills to the northeast and northwest are controlled by Menigistu. They make an effort to keep control of semi-arable lands to the south-east, but the terrain becomes arid and hostile very quickly.
Military
A professional warrior contingent called the Foriji control all military matters. They are heavily armed and impeccably equipped. Compared to the armies of other nations they may be fewer in number, but their elite training and peerless armaments make them formidable in the field.
Furthermore, many of the people of Menigistu train with the weapons they wield, and when the Steel Kingdom calls its people to war, they show up ready.
Religion
Obviously, the worship of Ferrouk is not only the state religion, it's the governing body of Menigistu.
However, Auruk is often invoked in the same breath as the Steel Titan. Along with Sillit, it's common to see shrines to the Three Makers throughout the priest kingdom.
Religious restriction goes against the precepts of Ferrouk's call to break chains and free bonds, so temples of every Sovereign and Titan can be found scattered throughout the holy mountain and the lands. Woe betide any Infernal cultist who dares lurk within the kingdom.
Foreign Relations
The other Priest Kingdoms are Menigistu's closest diplomatic links. Particularly, the Kingdom of Auruk, Brontha, the Kingdom of Nis and the Kingdom of Ramius.
They also conduct trade with Duneriders, the coastal kingdom of Allikas, and the subterranean priest-kingdom of Drych-La.
Their primary foes are Raveners, Designers and The Iron Empire. While the Iron Empire is their most hated enemy, Eythgos has to pass by Bothotlo and Bronthan lands to reach them.
Agriculture & Industry
Food is one of Menigistu's primary challenges. To achieve a high population density, they have to import food from afar, as their lands are not particularly arable and can only support so many crops. The scrublands to the south-east are some of the most fertile territories accessible to Menigistu and are strategically critical. Supplementing this are limited underground fungus farms and a robust fishing industry.
The holy mountain is incredibly rich in iron and other ore, blessed by Ferrouk themselves. Menigistu is renowned throughout the Sunswept Lands for its high quality steel and metal products. This, and the great skill of its denizens, are the Priest Kingdom's primary economic outputs.
Trade & Transport
Coastal travel is crucial for Menigistu. Their lands are rocky and difficult to traverse. There is a river to the east they can use to trade with Brontha and lands beyond. Since the priest kingdom of Drych-La has limited capacity for forging, the trade route out into the ocean is pivotal and completely protected from Infernal influence.
Education
There is no single formal education program for all denizens of Menigistu. Instead, each guild sees to the education of its members' children. This includes literacy, history and religion, but much more emphasis is placed on learning a trade. As such, most Menigisti are literate.
Bones of Iron
Founding Date
6412
Type
Geopolitical, Theocracy
Capital
Alternative Names
Priest Kingdom of Ferrouk, the Steel City
Demonym
Menigisiti
Leader Title
Government System
Theocracy
Economic System
Mixed economy
Major Exports
Steel, tools, armor, weapons, metalwork
Major Imports
Food, spices, agricultural products like flax or cotton
Legislative Body
The Kiflochi, or Chambers, write the laws. Each chamber usually governs specific areas of law, depending on which High Offices that chamber currently controls.
Judicial Body
The Foriji are responsible for enforcing the laws of the kingdom, but cases can be escalated to the Kiflochi and the Priest King.
Deities
Neighboring Nations
Related Ethnicities
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