Northeast Region: Minervia

The range separating the Golden Desert from the Dragon Empire is known alternately as the Golden Dawn Range, East Golden Crescent, or the Minerva Mountains, as it is occupied by the Minervan Elves. The libraries and monasteries of Minervia attract scholars and pilgrims from around the world. Minervan libraries contain the world’s most complete and up-to-date version of the Sagus Consensus, and it is considered one of the two authoritative editions, the other being with the Jovians in Alfheim. The two groups of scholars keep one another abreast of new knowledge by holding regular astral conferences that allow them to avoid long travel across the continent. The Minervans are sparsely populated but long-lived and highly trained. All Minervan Elves are psychic and are taught martial arts and most are trained in a class discipline. Besides the Minervans, there are many students of various races living in the region and the Dwarves and Gnomes native to the mountain range are often employed as guards, engineers, and clerks.
Races: Minervan, Mountain Dwarf, Gnome, Hengeyokai, Spirit Folk, visitors
Common tongue: Elvish
Classes: Elfin Cavalier, Fighter, Kensai, Ranger, Medjay, Bard, Sha’ir, Merchant, Detective, Reverend, Votary, Shukenja, Monk, Sohei, Magic-User, Clerk, Sage-Magician, Scholastic Sage, Medic, Sifu, Martial Advisor, Friar, Sage-Mentalist, Jogi/ni, Sannyasi/ni, Akhara, Alchemist, Mechanist

Structure

Although monasteries and academies are left to operate independently, they report on student enrolment to The Council of Elder Scholars, which tracks who comes and goes through Minervia. The manufacturing, farming, and merchants' guilds also report to the Council, which tracks the nation's wealth and hardware. The Council only issues commands to the bodies it oversees in times of emergency or shortage, e.g. to raise an army for defense, to martial resources for disaster relief, etc. The Council itself makes decisions democratically. Its 16 members are admitted based on seniority and accomplishment (XP). Other important bodies reporting to the Council include the Diplomatic Corp and the Department Public Engineering. The country is divided into administrative sectors each manged by a local religious body. Law enforcement agents answer to the priesthood of their sector.

Trade & Transport

The Minervans follow a planned economy, submitting food to the temple then having it portioned out equally, everyone receiving an equal allowance for personal purchases on a small-scale market of crafts, literature, quality tools and weapons, etc.

Mythology & Lore

Deities:
Minerva – goddess of wisdom
Apollo – god of music
Brahma – god of creation
Lakshmi – goddess of beauty
Mercury – god of medicine and writing
Parvati – goddess of pregnancy
Polus – god of darkness
Logus – god of logic and numbers
Shiva – god of destruction
Vishnu – god of light

Type

Geopolitical, Theocracy

Demonym

Minervans

Economic System

Command/Planned economy

Currency

Dwarven standard coinage, East Shoulun coinage and bank-notes

Major Exports

Some money comes into the country through export of minerals, Minervia acting as a middle agent through the local Dwarves and neighbouring surface societies. But the backbone of the Minervan economy is education and training. Students come from all over the world to hand over their possessions to the Monks for martial arts training, or pay high apprenticeship fees to study under the Minervan Alchemists.

Major Imports

Merchants returning from abroad mostly bring hard-to-find herbs and materials for the sages. There is some import of luxury goods, but there is not a lot of interest in these and few Minervans save up enough allowance for them. Exotic weapons and religious artifacts are always of interest to the temples, although the expectation is that artifacts be donated and the importer be satisfied with honour as their payment.