The Kingdom of Cyrenica
ⲢⲜⲊⲚⲬⲘ ⲔⲒⲢⲜⲚⲪⲔⲀⲈ
The Kingdom of Cyrenica is a small, densely populated, and predominantly dwarven state in the Odric Mountains of southwest Galisea, founded in the early forging era, the Kingdom of Cyrenica is one of the oldest contiguous states in Galisea having existed in largely the same form, barring a significant overhaul of administrative systems during the transition between the Alimentid, and Sullan dynasties. The Regnum of Cyrenica is home to a powerhouse economy, and a modest army that manages to fight far larger forces to a standstill. They are weaker however, than they once were, having lost much of its territory due to the migrations during the Feloran Invasion Period, and the expansions of the Terruk Mal.
The Kingdom of Cyrenica, since the establishment of the Sullan Dyansty has largely been a monarchy ruled in a nearly absolutist style, with the King of the realm (formally entitled Cyrus Rex) being the unquestioned leader of a complex state bureaucracy, civil service, and military command structure. With the heads of those government agencies being really the only people who have reliable access to the Cyrus Rex on daily basis, and that can challenge their judgement. Cyrenica's civil service relies heavily on skilled, and well educated professionals, often drawn from the nobility, or from the mercenatile classes, those who would have access not only to the most basic education, but to tutors of philosophy, and magical theory.
Cyrenica is home to a number of innovators who have driven the recent rapid advance of technology in Southwest Galisea, with some of the elder Cyrenic masters having created, among other things, gunpowder, milling machinery, as well as setting up labor divisions that have enabled the rise of guild manufactories, as well as having improved upon their engineering techniques to develop complex aqueduct and sewer networks, and enabling to construct lighting for the vast underground cities that a comparatively large percentage of the population lives in.
Culture
Cyrenic ideals and values have long been one of the dominant cultural forces in Southwest Galisea, with Cyrenic cultural norms being pervasive in several states that the Cyrenic state has held sway over including Aeilla, Nabiu, as well as Gallaca, and Elleryca to a lesser extent, and some of the more settled Aarumite peoples minimally. Since end of the Brother's War however, the political power of Cyrenica, and its associated cultural influence have gone into decline, and the states formerly influenced by Cyrenica have established their own cultural traditions, and have diverged significantly, even if some cultural hallmarks are still present.
Cyrenic society is staunchly traditionalist in most ways, with filial piety, and ancenstral worship being a key part of Cyrenic culture. The basic social group is an extended family, headed by family elders which is small group composed of the eldest members of a Cyrenic house, who often are responsible for keeping family records, managing house treasuries, arranging marriages, and punishing those who violate the laws and norms of Cyrenica. Due to the changes in governing policy, this has recently been suppressed in favor of the obedience to the state, at least in major urban centers.
Cyrenic arts are often oriented around craftwork, with the finest Cyrenic art pieces being great stoneworks, masterfully crafted jewelry, and musical instruments created with the finest care. The Cyrenic performing arts favor music, utilizing their instruments, and often making use of large choirs to establish a powerful sound, invoking a sense of cultural unity and pride, and additionally with the composition fun drinking and work songs to be sung by working people to help keep time at work, or to help them unwind after a long and difficult working day.
History
Established in ancient times, by Dwarves of the Odric Mountains the Kingdom of Cyrenica is one of the oldest states in Western Galisea. Formed as a defensive alliance between dwarves in the Odric Mountains as check on the expansion of the Yulan-Tai Empire, the alliance held out against numerous on and off attacks by the Yulan-Tai, though it did lose territory particularly in the lowlands. After the war of Frozen Scales, alliance drove out the Yulan-Tai, and began the process of building a new state to secure the prosperity of the increasingly wealthy Odricine city-states. The Kingdom of Cyrenica was established under the rule of the first Cyrus Rex, Lucius Julius Alimentus in the decades following the fall of the Yulan-Tai.
Under the Alimentids, the Kingdom of Cyrenica flourished, expanding into the territory of former Yulan-Tai satrapies, the Elleyrc region, and the southern Nabari Plateau, and trading with the Ilosi peoples living in what would become the heart of the Aeillan Republic, and later Aeillan Empire. In the later years of Alementid rule border skirmishes in the northern Nabari Steppe with the Kingdom of Volgeberg would eventually escalate into the Brother’s War, as two closely entwined Dwarven states fought viciously for the territory between them, as well as struggling over influence in Merida and the Ellerycan clans. This war devastated both nations and saw the overthrow of Volgeberg's ancient Kingdom. The fallout of the Brother’s War and the flight of Aarkocra and Kenku into the Nabari Plateau following the Feloran invasion of Qua’adar saw the collapse of the Alementid Dynasty when general Philipa Hadriana Sulla overthrew the Cyrus Rex and established the Sullan Dynasty.
The Sullans would play a key role in the defense of Galisea from the Feloran Elves, providing weapons and armies to assist the heavily besieged Aeillan Empire, and later the Kingdom of Gallaca. As the Felorans began to retreat, the Sullans even attempted, in vain, to keep those two states strong, as a bulwark against future Feloran invasion. That project came to an end as Cyrenica itself had to deal with rebellions in its Elleryc, Nimaeran, and Meridan clients, which resulted in declining Cyrenic influence in western Galisea. It was not until a new threat, from the North arrived, that the Sullan Dynasty would break however.
Aarumites, themselves victims of the expansion of Terruk-Mal into their ancestral territories migrated into the Nabari Steppes, overrunning dwarven, human, and halfling settlements in the region, and displacing the avian people devastating Cyrenica, which attempted, unsuccessfully, to halt the migrations. In the face of disaster, Vitellius the Elder launched a palace coup against the Sullans, establishing the Aurelian Dynasty in its place. The Aurelians took to a more isolationist stance, abandoning much of the populace of the Nabari Plateau, and retreating into the Odric mountains, with only their Protectorate Nabiu remaining of their much larger Empire. Cyrenica has, however, stabilized in this new normal, and a prosperity has returned, if in a smaller state than before.
Demography and Population
As of the most recent census of Cyrenica, there are roughly, 5,573,500 residents of the Kingdom, and is densely urbanized with as much as one tenth of the population of the Kingdom living in just the nine fortress cities that serve as major population centers in the country, and another fifth living in large above-ground towns that serve as industrial hubs that feed products to urban markets for sale.
The largest city of Cyrenica, as well as its capital is Cyrene which is home to 124,600 or so people. Other major Cyrenic settlements include the cities of Tarconsus with 67,700, Ferarus with 40,600, and Napolis with 24,400, with five smaller cities rounding out the dense urban centers in the Cyrenic territory. The Kingdom of Cyrenica's cities are spread out relatively even in the country, though the largest three are built into mountains.
The bulk of the population of Cyrenica consists of Cyrenic dwarves, who amount to about four fifths of the population of Cyrenica. There is a fairly healthy population of minority residents, often former slaves and refugees from the Aarumites who form their own agricultural communities in the Kingdom. There are slaves, mostly Aarumites, though the institution of slavery has been on a steady decline alongside the territorial extent of Cyrenica.
Territories
The territory of the Kingdom of Cyrenic is relatively compact, with 160,393 square kilometers in territory, with a noticeable, though not extreme east to west axial orientation. Most of Cyrenica is located within the bounds of the northern Odric Mountains with only a relatively small amount of territory in its southeast anchored along the head of the Ilos River, and the only part navigable by boats of any significant size.
Cyrenica possesses a relatively mild, dry summer climate in the various mountain valleys that make up the interior of Cyrenica's agricultural belt, and a mountainous climate elsewhere. Agriculture is largely sustained however, through an extensive network of aqueducts that pipe melt water from the top of the Odric Mountains into the valleys for productive use.
Military
The Kingdom of Cyrenica maintains a large and powerful army for its size, with roughly 50,000 professional soldiers serving the Cyrenic state. These soldiers are divided into ten legions of roughly 5,000 soldiers each. These soldiers are heavily armored, wearing scale armor (or laminar armor for ceremonial or border guard duties), helmets, and are equipped with either polearms, or with some of the advanced firearms available in Southwest Galisea. Three Legions, (the 1st, 7th, and 9th) are "special" in some way, with the 1st being the Iron Legion, composed of extremely skilled warriors trained in artifice; and the 7th and 9th are cavalry legions, with a much greater ratio of cavalry to infantry.
The legions are supported by a fairly extensive baggage train of roughly 20,000 supporting soldiers, even though the average member of the legions is expected to be largely self sufficient in the field. There is a small cadre of professional war priests and war mages, that serve the Cyrenic state's need for magical axuiliaries. Additionally the Cyrenic State can call upon its town watches, and some citizens militias to defend the Kingdom from incursions that do manage to breach the border fortifications that Cyrenica possesses. The Cyrenican town watches as a rule tend to be better trained and equipped than those of other civilizations for exactly this reason.
Technological Level
The Kingdom of Cyrenica, other than perhaps other dwarven holds, is the most advanced society in Galisea. They possess modern technology such as gunpowder weapons, mills, metalwork, and even fairly complex machines in abundance. Though they must import some things, such as clockwork from other states, they are capable of manufacturing most such technological wonders themselves.
Religion
The primary faith of the Kingdom of Cyrenica, and the one endorsed and supported by the Cyrus Rex is the Cult of Silus, the Unconquerable Sun. Cyrenica has a number of other cults dedicated to gods favored by dwarven houses, and those previously favored by older dynasties of the Kingdom. Additionally, minority religions of non-Cyrenic nature are also practiced in Cyrenica, particularly practices from nearby cultures and those of peoples incorporated into the Cyrenic states.
Foreign Relations
The Kingdom of Cyrenica, since the arrival of the Aarumites, and the ascendency of the Aurelian Dynasty has become far more insular in its outlook, seeking to protect the Kingdom at all costs, leaving foreign states to their own fate unless they can gain some favor in exchange for their support. They do maintain active relations with Aeilla, and with what remains of its client Kingdoms, maintaining protection over the Aerie of Nabiu, as well as parts of Gallaca, and Merida, though its political influence in these regions, barring Aeilla, which has a direct, and easy to transit river route from Cyrenica, has been weakened as a result of the relatively disconnection caused by the loss of the Nabari Plateau to the Aarumites.
Cyrenica is primarily hostile to the Aarumite Confederacy, seeing their occasionally powerful warlords as an existential threat, and being required to repulse Aarumite invaders on a semi-regular basis. Some in the military have sought to create an expedition to invade the Nabari Plateau and reclaim it, these efforts have largely been stymied by the Aurelian rulers, who are deeply afraid of the possibility that such an expedition would leave Cyrenica's borders exposed to incursions from foreign powers. Instead, the Cyrenic Kingdom has focused its efforts on bolstering Nabiu, as well as reaching out to the more settled Aarumites and attempting to align those groups more closely with Cyrenic interests, and potentially creating a new allied or protected state on the Nabari Plateau.
Agriculture & Industry
Despite the relatively extensive crafting prowess of the Cyrenic peoples, the bulk of the population still lives and works in the field of agriculture, living in small villages on the surface, in mountain valleys. These villages supported by extensive infrastructure enable the relatively limited arable landmass to produce enormous amounts of grain such that their population is nearly self sustaining.
Dwarven craftspeople are however, the predominant economic drivers. Cyrenic craft guilds and manufactories produce vast quantities of manufactured goods for domestic consumption, and foreign trade, as well as constructing, and maintaining most of the infrastructure that keeps Cyrenica operational. Besides them there are soldiers, entertainers, and bureaucrats that keep the people safe, the organizations of state operational, and people safe.
Trade & Transport
Cyrenic trade is predominantly carried out over land with the nearly perfectly straight roads criss-crossing the country providing trade routes that are nearly as effective as those over seas and rivers. There are two primary riverine trade routes into and out of Cyrenica, most important is the Ilos River route, which is generally the favored of the two due to its relatively slow and navigable course. The second the River Spartharii, which is less favored in large part due to the relatively rocky soil making the river rougher, and requiring more overland transport.
Cyrenic markets have a great variety of goods for sale, with manfuactured jewelry, tools, and weapons being the most common. Magic items also exist in relative abundance with even fairly involved items being available for purchase without first commissioning them. Slaves can be found in Cyrenic markets, but this is an extremely rare occurrence in the modern day.
Infrastructure
The Kingdom of Cyrenica maintains substantial infrastructure simply as a means of maintaining society. Major cities themselves are carved into mountains, with the gateways being fantastic works or art, as well as functional fortress like constructions. Water is supplied to major settlements, water mills, and irrigation works through the development of aqueduct networks connected to snow melt houses located on mountain tops. Even the smallest settlements make use of streetlights with either magic lighting or a special ore known as glow stone mined out from certain parts of the Kingdom. Roads are extensive in the Kingdom, and indeed are nearly perfectly straight, a testment to Cyrenic Engineering.
Sic pacem ad Silus
Founding Date
726 AS
Type
Geopolitical, Kingdom
Capital
Alternative Names
Regnum Cyrenica
Demonym
Cyrenic, Cyrenae
Leader Title
Head of State
Government System
Monarchy, Absolute
Power Structure
Unitary state
Economic System
Mixed economy
Currency
Cyrenic Denarius, Cyrenic Ducatus, Cyrenic Aureus
Official State Religion
Location
Official Languages
Related Traditions
Related Ranks & Titles
Related Professions
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
Related Ethnicities
Cyrenica in Detail:
Trade Agreement
The Kingdom of Gallaca and Cyrenica have entered into a limited a trade agreement with few import duties between the two states.
Trade Agreement
Frequent raids and punitive expeditions
Diplomatic Recognition
There is an uneasy peace between Cyrenica and Terruk-Mal as Cyrenica recognizes Aarum as a greater threat.
Tense, limited diplomatic exchanges
Located on geographic extremes from each other on the continent, the two Dwarven Kingdoms have little common interests beyond sharing a distant noble lineage which allows them to intermarry for prestige.
Open Hostility, no formal contact
Though never having formally been at war, the Kingdom of Cyrenica has in the past provided refuge to Volgier nobility fleeing prosecution by the League's National Diet, and the League was part of the effort to steal the secret to gunpowder. The Kingdom considers the League to be a threat to it's order, as most other Dwarven States.
